


Mandy Barnes Second Chance Haven

by EK823



Category: Sebastian Stan - Fandom
Genre: 18+, AU, Adult Situations, Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M, Language, Lighthearted, Masturbation, NSFW, Reminiscing of the past, Reunions, Sex, Sexual Tension, Teasing, Thought of Sexual Contact
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-07
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-22 05:50:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7422346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EK823/pseuds/EK823
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inheriting her grandparent's farm after her grandmother passes away, Mandy hires Sebastian, a general contractor and childhood friend to help renovate the house.  She quickly finds herself falling for the handsome handyman.</p>
<p>This is a AU story of Sebastian Stan. Please enjoy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Renovations

Mandy Barnes was relaxing out in the backyard, under her favourite Weeping Willow tree. She had fond memories of when she planted this tree as a little girl with her grandparents. Whenever she was upset, felt scared, sad or lonely, or even just needed to be alone – this was her safe spot.

It was a year ago when her grandma Abby passed away and left her the farm and the house. Now that she had recently graduated from Veterinary School, she decided to renovate the house and open a clinic. She had always had a dream of having a place to help and treat animals and give a second chance to animals that were unwanted, neglected or even abused.; she would call her clinic Second Chance Haven.

While she was resting, her general contractor, Hank Stan came from the house and began walking towards her. He called out to her, “Miss Barnes, I just finished the last of the painting in your master bathroom, would you like to come and take a look?” 

Mandy smiled at him, “Hank, you’ve known me my whole life, please just call me, Mandy. Why don’t you just relax for a moment and have some iced tea, then we’ll go take a look,” she offered. 

Hank sat down next to her, “While I’m working, I call all of my customers by their last names. But since you insist, I’ll call you Mandy. And a glass of iced tea does sound great, thanks.” 

"So, what’s next on the list?” She asked as she poured the tea.

“I was thinking of starting the extension on the sunroom and deck. We’re changing the sunroom into your vet clinic, right?” Hank asked

”Yes, I want to put the exam rooms there for the smaller animals. The barn is going to be used for the larger animals, of course.” 

"You know, with the size of this job, I could use some help. My nephew is a general contractor; do you mind if I bring him on?”

“No, I don’t mind at all,” Mandy replied with a smile. 

“Sebastian just moved back from New York City. He was working on fancy high-risebuildings there. He’s living with Millie and me while he gets back on his feet after his divorce. Mandy, do you remember Sebby?” Hank asked as he took a sip of his tea.

“Yes, but it's been years since I’ve seen him. After mom and dad moved us out to L.A, I only visited on holidays or a few weeks in the summer, so we lost touch.”

“Ah, yeah, well, my sister always sent him to summer camp in upstate New York. What a shame, the two of you would always have fun playing together,” Hank reminisced.

“That was a long time ago,” Mandy stood up, “Shall we go take a look at my new bathroom?” 

After showing Mandy the bathroom and discussing the plans for the extension, Hank called it a day. He would be back at 8 am sharp the next morning and would have Sebastian with him. After seeing Hank off, Mandy retreated back to her newly renovated bathroom for a relaxing bubble bath; the first one since moving back into the house.

The Barnes home was well over 100 years old and in need of major renovations. Mandy’s grandparents had been longtime friends with the Stan family so the decision to use Hank for the repairs was an easy one. Plus, he knew this house inside and out because he was a business partner of her grandfather, James. They built and renovated many homes in town. She had been back in town for six months; from day one, Hank had been there. While he worked on fixing the house and getting the clinic ready, Mandy set up a temporary clinic out in the barn. 

Mandy was up every morning at 6 am to prepare for the day. Every morning, for the past six months, she had made coffee and homemade muffins so they would be ready when Hank arrived. He even joked that his wife, Millie, thinks he will leave her for Mandy because of the baking. She plates the muffins and puts out the coffee cups, it's 10 until 8 and Hank will be there any minute. She heads out to the barn so she can start her day and check on the few animals that she has out there. 

“Excuse me, Mandy?” She hears a voice behind her as she is giving one of the dogs a bath. It scares her, and she drops the hand sprayer and as she reaches for it ends up getting the dog and herself wet. She reaches for the handle to turn off the water and makes it worse, soaking herself. 

She hears a stifled laugh, “I’m really sorry for scaring you, I didn’t mean to do that.” She sees a hand reaching forward with a towel.

She grabs it and begins to dry off and then turns to see who it was that scared the shit out of her. What she was met with was a 6’ tall, blue eyed, dark haired God! A muscular man wearing a tight, white V-neck t-shirt, slightly baggy, but well-worn blue jeans and work belt hanging off of his hips.

She had a hard time finding her voice. Somehow she was able to muster, “Hi!” 

"Uncle Hank thought it would be a good idea for me to come down and introduce myself to you,” he extended his hand to her, “Sebastian or Seb. And, I am really sorry about scaring you.”

“Um, no, it’s fine,” she replied, her voice coming back. She took note of his sexy smile and the fact that it made her wet in her panties. Taking his offered hand, she stuttered, “I’m Mandy.”

For a guy who uses his hands all day, they seemed softer than callused. Mandy felt a wave of electricity go through her body and wondered if he felt it too. For a few moments, they stood there not saying a word; still holding each other's hand. They were brought back to reality by the dog in the tub, he began shaking the excess water off himself, this time, he not only got Mandy wet but also Sebastian.

“I should get back to Hank,”' Sebastian finally broke the silence and the handshake.

“Oh! Yes, and I should, um, ah, oh,” Mandy was at a loss.

“Dry the dog off?” Sebastian pointed out.

”Yes! Dry the dog off,”' Mandy blushed, repeating what he said.

“It was nice to see you again!” He smiled, heading back towards the house.

She watched him walk back towards the house and let a loud sigh and then smacked her forehead. She couldn't believe she just stood there unable to put two sentences together, “What an idiot, how could I not talk to him?” She asked the dog as if he could answer her. He just watched her, turning his head slightly, as if he understood her. She finished washing the other dogs, then took care of walking and feeding them. She could not stop thinking about Sebastian and how gorgeous he was; the more she thought about him, the more she felt her juices pooling in her panties. 

It was lunch time, and she had to go and fix lunch for Hank and Sebastian. She was hoping she could get into the house without them seeing her. When she reached the back door, she realized they wouldn’t see her, but she could see them; they were busy looking over the plans for the extension. She took the opportunity to take a peek at Sebastian as she walked by. But she knew that she was going to have to change her panties before even thinking about starting lunch; it's surprised her how fast she was turned on by him, she never thought that she would feel that way again after her ex.

She came back downstairs, prepared lunch and called them into the kitchen when it was ready. She placed everything out on the table and sat down to wait for them to join her. While Sebastian was washing his hands, she stared at his back, and could see the muscles flexing while he rubbed his hands together under the running water. Hank cleared his throat, and that brought her out of her stare; he just smiled and winked at her. 

“Do you two remember playing when you were younger?" Hank asked. 

“Not really,” Sebastian answered.

“Nope!” Mandy replied, popping the ‘p’ at the end.

Hank decided that while they ate, he would tell them both stories of when they were young and played together. 

“I remember one time, Millie, and I brought Sebby here, and the two of you wanted to go swimming down in the pond. I can't remember why we didn't let you, but the two of you ran off towards the barn and ended up sneaking down to the stream behind it. I think you both were 5 or 6 years old. When we realized you both were nowhere in sight, Mandy, your grandparents, Millie and me, all went looking for you two.” Hank started to chuckle, “We heard the two of you laughing and followed the sound down to the stream where we found you both stark ass naked jumping and splashing around in the stream with not a care in the world!”

“We’re much older now, so you won't have to worry about us doing that again,” Mandy giggled and began to blush.

“Oh, I don’t know, sounds like fun. I don't think you should count that adventure out too fast,” Sebastian gave a playful wink and a smile. 

She couldn’t think of a comeback, she put her head down and tried to hide the fact that she was turning a brilliant shade of red. She decided the best thing to do was to just get up from the table and begin to clean up her lunch dishes. Hank and Sebastian did the same and went back to work while Mandy puttered around the house and went back to the barn. Around 4 pm when Hank was preparing to leave for the day, Mandy went to say goodbye and handed him a plate of muffins to take home for Millie. 

Hank pulled her into an embrace and whispered into her ear, “You know, he’s single, his divorce was final last month. I’ve always thought you two would be perfect for one another.” He released the hug and walked toward his truck, saying nothing else. 

Sebastian had been packing the truck during Hank’s exchange with Mandy, but he had watched with keen interest. As they got into the truck and began to pull away, he smiled and waved to her. Mandy could not help but wonder if Hank had actually needed the help on the job or if he was trying to play matchmaker. It did bring a smile and a warm feeling all over her, just thinking of the idea of her and Sebastian. Then that promise she made to herself eight months ago after she found her fiancé with another woman. Mandy and Tony had been engaged for 5 years, and now she knew why they were, he was never going to settle down, he was too much of a playboy. Mandy needed a break from men for a while, but after reconnecting with Sebastian, maybe he could get her to change her mind on dating again.

 

Copyright © 2016 EK823. All rights reserved. Intellectual property of EK823.


	2. Vivid Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Mandy realizes that she has strong feelings for Sebastain, but she's away and has to wait until she arrives home. The two of them are able to spend some time alone, and get caught up on one another's lives.

Seb heads out the back door, and down towards the barn, to where Mandy is working with the animals. He can hear Mandy lightly humming to one of the dogs in the tub. Mandy is giving the dog a bath, after the he decided to take his first bath in the mud. While standing in the doorway, Seb lights his cigarette and takes a long drag, before blowing the smoke out, pursing his lips together as he does. He smiles while he watches her pour soap into her hands, then starts to rub it into the dog's fur, he starts to imagine that she's doing that to him. He smiles while taking another long drag, and starts to feel a twitch down below. He removes the suspenders, so they are hanging at his sides. He continues to watch Mandy rub the soap all over the dog, and his heart begins to race, and he's breathing a bit he heavier. 

He is now wishing that was him in tub, with Mandy's hands rubbing all over him. His pants begin to get tight, as his cock becomes hard. After Mandy is finished soaping the dog up, she leans over to reach for the hand sprayer, sticking her ass out a bit. Seb makes a quiet moan while she does this. With one hand holding the sprayer and the other running through the dog's fur, Seb is hard, and picturing Mandy's hand on his hard, throbbing cock. He takes one last drag of his smoke and tosses the butt aside. 

Now he removes his white tight v neck t-shirt and wipes the sweat off of his forehead, then wraps it around the back of his neck. Mandy all the while is still lightly humming and not noticing that Seb is watching her from behind and extremely turned on. He now undoes the top button of his jeans and slides the zipper down. He slides his hand into his jeans and boxers, and starts to stroke his cock. He knows that he will not last long, and knows he has to finish fast before Mandy turns around. He places his other arm up on the door frame and rests his forehead on his arm, all the while he's still stroking himself. 

He now can hear Mandy saying...You're such a good boy for Mandy, aren't you Sweetie? 

It sounds like she's saying it to him, which makes him moan a bit louder, and stroke harder. He's so turned on, that he closes his eyes and pictures Mandy naked on her knees stroking him, before wrapping her mouth around his hard cock. He's at his breaking point, and before he can cover his mouth he shoots white long strings of cum and a loud moan escapes him.

After coming down and still breathing hard he opens his eyes. What he sees next is Mandy staring at him smiling and saying...

I thought you would never cum...now I think it's time for you to have your bath. Mandy smiles while montioning Seb to her. But please remove those ridiculously tight jeans and I'll clean you up.

 

Mandy bolted up in bed after having that amazingly vivid dream. She was turned on and sweaty, looking at her phone she noticed it was only 2:45 am; flopping back down in bed, she ran her hand through her hair. "Holy shit, I need a cold shower!"

 

Instead, she settled for a bottle of water and tried to go back to bed; she managed to fall back asleep, waking a few hours later at 6 am. Today she was flying back home to Yates County, NY from Los Angeles, where she was visiting family and friends. While waiting at the gate, her phone began to buzz, it was from Hank, her general contractor. He had been texting her about the progress they were making, he included photos for her to see what they had done. He also included a few of Sebastian working. First, she saved the pictures of Sebastian and then sent a quick text back to Hank thanking him for the updates and pictures.

She had gone to Los Angeles for a friend’s engagement party. Since she was in the wedding party, she had to make an appearance, even though the renovations had only started two weeks ago, she would have preferred to stay at home. Plus, she wanted to continue watching Sebastian. It also didn’t help that this was the first time in eight months that she was with all of her friends; meaning the first time since the breakup with Tony and everyone was asking what happened with the two of them. She didn’t like answering the questions, she just told everyone it wasn’t meant to be.

 

What she was unaware of, was that Tony and his new girlfriend, her former best friend, were invited to the party. When they walked in the door, Mandy was ready to leave, but she had to stay for Becky since this was her night and her party.

 

Becky saw Mandy’s reaction as Tony and Mia walked in, she went to Mandy’s side. “I’m sorry, Tony and Steve are best friends. I understand if you want to leave,” Becky told her quietly.

 

“I appreciate that, but I’m here for you and Steve. You’re the only one outside of Tony and Mia that know the whole story of what happened so it wouldn’t look right if I left,” Mandy smiled and took a deep breath, “Plus, I’m in a great place. I love my new home, and I’ve got my new vet clinic starting up; I’ve got what I’ve always wanted.”

 

"Except for someone to love you," she replied.

"In due time. Hey, you want to see pictures of the house?" Mandy asked, she was bubbling with enthusiasm.

“I’d love to," Becky replied as she reached for Mandy’s phone. She began scrolling but only noticed pictures of Sebastian, "Who is this sexy beast?

"That's Sebastian, he's one of my general contractors, he is working with his uncle Hank on this job.”

 

"Oh Mandy, please tell me, you're getting some from him? He's fucking sexy," Becky smiled, "Hey Steve, come here."

Steve walked over, Becky showed him a photo of Sebastian. The photo was one where he was resting on the grass, shirtless with his hands behind his head, listening to music. It was evidently a hot and sunny day, as his skin glistened with sweat.

"Oh, Mandy, is that your new boyfriend?" Steve asked, his eyebrows raised and curiosity piqued.

“I hope so, but it's her general contractor," Becky smiled.

"He's helping his Uncle Hank, with the building of the vet clinic. We knew each other when we were younger and before I moved out here. We're just reconnecting, he just got divorced," Mandy quickly replied.

"I hope it works out for you, even though Tony is my friend, you didn't deserve what happened to you. So, go for it, and invite us to the wedding," Steve hugged her.

"Invite him to our wedding, please?" Becky begged.

"I'll think about it," Mandy smiled.

Mandy was able to successfully avoid Tony and Mia the rest of the party. Over the course of the next few days, she spent time with her parents, Brian and Marci Barnes. She was excited to show them all of the renovations that had already been completed as well as the blueprints for the clinic. She had to keep them in the loop and make sure they were on board with what she was doing, they were loaning her the money for all of the work. At the end of the week, she was excited to go back home.

After a long flight and the hour drive, Mandy finally turned into her long driveway. For the first time, she felt truly at home. She noticed Hank's truck was still here. She took her bags into the house and then walked back outside and around back. Hank had closed off the back door from the kitchen to the clinic until the construction was complete, so she had to walk around. As she came around the side of the house, she noticed Sebastian walking from the house towards the barn, his back to her. He was carrying in each hand, a bundle of tied up wood. She pictured her dream while watching him walk away in a pair of faded out blue jeans and his work boots, instantly she felt a pooling in her panties, and she lightly moaned to herself, until...

"Welcome, home Mandy!" Hank hugged her, but noticing what she was staring at, "I see you're happy to be home, watching Sebby walk away?" Hank chuckled.

"What? Huh? Oh...yes, very happy to be home," Mandy was starting to turn beet red.

"So, you enjoyed all the photos I sent you?" Hank smiled.

"Yes, I did, and thank you.”

"You both should go out for dinner one night," he suggested.

“You two work so hard, he’s probably tired at the end of the day and just wants to relax. Besides, he’s recently divorced. Don’t get me wrong, he’s very attractive and sweet, and caring,” she couldn’t help but smile and blush as she was describing him.

 

"You know, he was separated from Natasha for a year before she got remarried. So he's had time. I think you both need each other," Hank winked.

"Just give me some time, I'm not sure if I'm ready," Mandy admitted.

"Alright, but don't take too long. Remember, you deserve to be happy and loved and to be in love. I think Sebby would be the perfect match for you," Hank hugged Mandy and headed back to work.

She just shook her head and lightly laughed to herself, as she watched him walk away. She headed down towards the barn; she had five dogs she had to check in on. The dogs were surrendered: two adult German Shepherds, Chase and Brody, they were brother and sister, and then she had Rosie, a black Lab with her two pups, Sam and Beau. She loved all of these dogs, and while she was away, the neighbour's kids would come over and feed and walk them for her. She figured they would still be here because they wanted one of the pups. Having them help with the dogs also taught them responsibility and would help them raise the puppy. When she walked in, she saw Sebastian sitting in the pen playing with the pups, he never noticed her come in.

 

"Were they good while I was away?" Mandy asked as she approached the pen.

"SHIT! Mandy! Your back," Sebastian jumped up, dusting himself off.

"Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you, but now I think we might be even," Mandy laughed.

"Glad you're back, missed seeing you while you were gone," Sebastian blushed and quickly headed back to the house.

Mandy thought that was odd, that he said that and then left.

"Geez, was it something I said?" Mandy asked while looking down at the puppies. She made sure everything was okay and played with the dogs for a bit. She headed back towards the house just as Hank and Sebastian were finishing up for the day.

"We're going to call it for the night, looks like a storm is heading this way," Hank pointed towards the sky.

"Oh ya, looks like it's going be a good one, better get the dogs into the house. I’ll see both of you in the morning.”

"No, just Hank tomorrow,” Sebastian replied, “I’ve got to drive to the city. Natasha called and needs me to come back for something, not sure what, but I’ve got to be gone for a few days.”

"Oh, well, I hope everything is okay. I’ll miss seeing you, so hurry back," she tossed his words back at him and felt herself starting to blush.

He noticed, “Well, I'd rather be here. Keep an eye on Hank for me?” Sebastian turned and headed for the truck.

"Told you," Hank whispered and hugged Mandy goodbye.

As they drove off, she headed back to the barn to get the dogs and lock and close everything up. She was glad that the dogs were here because she was not that fond of thunder and lighting and this storm was going to have both. She made sure she had enough candles ready and flashlights on hand because the power generally goes out in thunderstorms. She has a generator for her refrigerator and freezer, the clinic’s refrigerator, and the floor fans. With it being summer, storms are always a possibility and the house can get hot; the fans came in handy, and it helped keep the dogs cool, too. Just as she expected, the storm started, and the power went out. Mandy lit the candles and about twenty minutes later there was a knock on her front door. She opened the door, and to her surprise, Sebastian was standing there, soaking wet and holding extra flashlights and candles. She immediately let him in and couldn’t help but giggle when she noticed the ‘gifts’ he was bearing.

 

"Uncle Hank asked me to bring these to you, but I think you have enough," Sebastian smiled.

"He sent you out, in this storm, to bring me these?” She asked, taking everything from him and setting them on the table.

 

"Not really, I was planning on driving into the city tonight, and I offered to bring them by."

"It’s a five-hour drive to the city, you worked all day, and it's already 8 pm. Are you crazy?" Her hands on her hips, she started to shake her head, “Not to mention it’s storming like mad. Tell you what, why don't you sleep here, and you can head out in the morning when the weather will be better, and you've rested? Would hate to hear if something happened and I could have stopped it."

"Thanks, but I'm used to it, Nat hated to fly, so I had to drive everywhere for our vacations or her business trips, or wherever she wanted to go," Sebastian smiled.

"I'd feel much better knowing you had a good night's sleep, before that drive," She replied.

"Nat wanted to meet up in the morning," he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I was going to open a bottle of wine I brought back with me, from Napa Valley," she said with a sing-song quality in her voice, trying to lure him to stay.

"Red or White?" He asked.

"Sebastian, does it really matter, it’s wine!”

He laughed, she had a point, "Okay, but let me at least text Nat and Uncle Hank, let them know what my plans are. Plus, I need to get my bag out of the car. You know, Hank and Millie mentioned to me that you’re afraid of thunder and lighting.”

 

"I'm not surprised," she shook her head.

Mandy grabbed the bottle of wine, two glasses and the fresh strawberries she had purchased on the way home; she waited for him in the living room. Sebastian had come in and taken his bag upstairs. He decided to change out of his wet clothes into a dry pair of blue jogging pants, and a tight white t-shirt. As he walked down the stairs to join her in the living room, Mandy caught sight of him and was immediately reminded of her dream; a knot instantly formed in her stomach.

 

Sebastian opened the wine and poured each of them a glass. Handing her a glass of red wine and then offering a toast, “Here's to reconnecting an old friendship that will hopefully bloom into a more adult friendship."

"Cheers," she offered as she clinked their glasses and then she smiled before taking a drink.

As the night wore on, the wine continued to flow as they talked about what happened after she moved to Los Angeles. They each talked about their exes and their careers, the conversation went on all night, it was never forced and never stalled.

The sunlight began to peek through the curtains as Mandy woke up, realizing she was in her own bed. She didn’t remember how she got there, though, all she did know was that she had a headache, and it was because of the wine. When she was able to move and get out of bed, she went downstairs to let the dogs out into the fenced yard and to put out their food and water. She immediately went over and grabbed something for her head and noticed that there were three empty bottles of wine.

 

She needed coffee! She figured while she was at it, she would go ahead and make breakfast for her and Sebastian; including some muffins with some of the left over strawberries. Twenty minutes later, Sebastian joined her in the kitchen, he was already showered and dressed. He was ready to head out for his drive to the city, but Mandy was insistent that he have breakfast with her before leaving; he didn’t argue. She packed him a bag with a few sandwiches and muffins for the trip and then walked him out. He thanked her for her hospitality and then left for his trip to the city.

 

While Mandy was watching Sebastian drive away, Hank drive towards her, passing Sebastian on the driveway. Hank was all smiles when he got out of the truck and look at her.

"Before you ask, we slept in separate bedrooms and drank too much wine," She smiled.

"Wine, huh!" Hank smiled.

"What's that for?" She questioned.

"He's not really a wine drinker," Hank explained.

"Why didn't he tell me that?"

 

"I've told you, he likes you, wants to get to know you, sweetie," Hank smiled, "I was going to bring the candles and flashlights over last night, but he said he wanted to."

 

"He did huh? Well, maybe, just maybe I'll see if he wants dinner when he comes back," she smiled looking at the two empty wine glasses on the counter.

"Please do, he's eating all of our food," Hank laughed.

"Alright, there's coffee and muffins on the table for you, but I need more sleep," She pointed out, before heading off to bed again.

Mandy hoped that she'll have another one of those dreams about Sebastian again.

Copyright © 2016 EK823. All rights reserved. Intellectual property of EK823.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would love to say THANK YOU to my to lovely Bata's Karen and Carrington. Helping me with ideas and arrangement of the story.


	3. Dinner Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mandy and Sebastian finally have their first date. They find out more about one another, as the evening progresses.

Mandy had awakened early, she showered, dressed and had coffee and muffins ready to go, all before 7 am. The two neighbor kids who helped with the dogs while she was in LA, were going to come over and receive Beau, one of her lab puppies. She wanted to give him a bath and a final check-up before he went to his new home. The kids come running in a little after 8 am, they were so excited, it was hard for them to contain themselves. Mandy wished she could bottle that excitement and sell it, she would make a fortune! 

Beau was ready, she handed the leash over to the kids, they immediately took off running with him. Their mother thanked Mandy for her generosity and then ran after her children. It was at this moment that Hank and Sebastian pulled into the driveway. They laughed as they watched the kids run with the puppy, their mom frantically trying to keep up.  
As Sebastian stepped out of the truck, he caught Mandy’s eye. He began walking in her direction, and asked, “Was that Sam or Beau?” 

"It’s Beau," she responded. 

"Great, I was thinking about possibly taking Sam off your hands, and giving him a home."

"Really? Ok, well we can arrange that," she had to admit that was a quick way to her heart. She wanted to ask about his trip to the city, she was a little nervous but decided to just go for it. “So, I couldn’t help but notice that you were gone a little longer than 3 days. Is everything okay?” 

He looked up at her, "Yeah, but I honestly would have rather been here with you,” he could feel his cheeks begin flush with embarrassment. 

Hank had been standing off to the side, listening to the conversation, “I’m just going to leave you to alone for a few minutes,” he smiled, shaking his head as he walked away. 

As they were left alone, Mandy was suddenly at a loss for words. Finally, she figured the dog was the ticket, “Would you want to visit with Sam for a bit, you know before you start working?”

"Love too," he smiled.

Sebastian's smile drove Mandy crazy, and she wanted to kiss those lips. Her dreams of Sebastian had been getting more vivid, right now, she wanted them all to come true. Just standing a few feet away from him, her stomach was in knots, she could feel the warm pooling in her panties; this man turned her world upside down. 

They entered the barn, Sebastian immediately went toward the pen where Sam was and climbed in. As he sat down, Sam jumped into his lap right away and began giving him kisses; Sebastian started laughing and smiling, he was enjoying it. Again, that fucking sexy ass smile, she could just stare at it forever. 

When he was away, Hank had thanked Mandy for giving Sebastian his smile and laugh back. She was confused by his comment, asking what he meant by that exactly. He went on to explain that after his divorce, Sebastian had lost the ability to laugh and smile; however, once he reconnected with Mandy, they returned. 

Mandy was lost in her thoughts and was brought out of it when Sebastian stood and looked into her eyes, “So, why are you smiling?” He brushed off the back of his jeans, then moved to dust off his thighs. She watched him so carefully, “You’re looking at me and smiling, what’s going on?”

Her head snapped as if she had been slapped, “Sorry, I was lost in thought. I was just thinking about something that was said last week, that’s all.”

"Was it about me?" He blurted out and then quickly tried to cover his tracks, "No! Wait, you don't need to answer that."  
Mandy was just as surprised as he was at his comments. Honestly, though, that gave her the right amount of encouragement to ask what she had been dying to ask, “Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

His eyebrows raise, slightly surprised that you asked, "Uh, tonight?" 

"Oh, well, if you have other plans, don't worry about it," Mandy quickly replied, looking down, unable to make further eye contact with him.

Sebastian placed his thumb under her chin, gently lifting her head so she was looking into his eyes once more, they were mere inches away from one another. She could feel his warm breath ghost over her lips, he was getting her excited, she could feel the warmth building between her legs just from him looking at her; he wasn’t saying a word, only looking into her green eyes. 

Her mind quickly drifted to what she wanted to do with him, how she could imagine kissing those plump red lips and sucking on his bottom lip. She wanted to taste those lips and have his tongue slip into her mouth, fighting for dominance, to take control of her by just a kiss. She had a sudden urge to rip his clothes off and take him right this minute in the in the pen, on the hay. She needed to go back in the house, her panties were now soaked thanks to her vivid imagination.

"I'd love to have dinner with you," his answer came as a surprise, snapping Mandy back into reality, “So, did you want to go out to eat, or did you want to eat here?”

"I was thinking of cooking, I really don’t mind, plus it would give you a chance to play with Sam some more.” 

"Then, it's a date," he leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. He stepped out of the pen and started to walk towards the house. He turned and looked at her one more time, before exiting the barn, giving her a smile. 

As he gets out of her sight, Mandy cannot hold back, she does a bit of a happy dance. She quickly exits the barn, running toward the front of the house. Now that she has agreed to fix dinner, she had to determine the menu. She began searching through cookbooks and Pinterest for any and all recipes that looked remotely interesting. The search last about forty minutes, but the menu was set: stuffed chicken with apples, cranberries, feta and yellow wax beans, mini red potatoes, side salad, and a homemade apple pie for dessert.

She began going through the refrigerator and pantry to check for ingredients; making a grocery list of any items that were missing. Once the list was compiled, she headed towards town to get the shopping done. As she was heading for the market, something in the window of the dress shop caught her eye. It was a yellow tank dress that would hit her at her knee; she had not planned on buying anything new, but this dress was cute. She decided to go in and try it on. Just her luck, it fit perfect, and she fell in love with it. She quickly purchased it and then made her way to the market.

Mandy was able to get the shopping done and still get home in time to make lunch for the guys. Unlike most days, Hank and Sebastian decided to eat while they worked today. They wanted to finish up early today, that way Sebastian could get home and get ready for their date. Around 3 pm, they began packing up their things so they could head out.

Before going to the truck, Sebastian approached Mandy, “What time would you like me to come out for dinner?”

“How about 6?” Mandy responded quietly, suddenly nervous about the entire idea of having dinner with him.

“Should I bring anything?”

“Just you and your appetite,” Mandy says with a laugh. Sebastian smiles at her remark and offers his goodbye and heads for the truck where Hank is waiting for him. Mandy watches as the two men drive away. 

After closing the door, she heads towards the kitchen where she begins the food preparation for dinner. Once everything was prepared, she bounded up the steps to take a quick shower and get ready for the evening. Generally, she was always dressed in jeans and t-shirts, her hair in a ponytail, and little to no makeup. However, tonight, she elected to keep her hair down, she was wearing makeup and her new yellow dress. She did choose to go barefoot, only because she couldn’t decide on what shoes to wear. She looked at herself in the mirror, she almost didn’t recognize herself. She only hoped that Sebastian would like what he saw.

She descended the stairs and finished cooking the dinner. She was nervous, she poured herself a glass of wine in the hopes it would help to settle her nerves. She set the table and puttered around the kitchen when she finally heard the soft knock on the front door. She took one last sip from her glass and opened the front door. Sebastian was standing there, looking just as nervous as she was, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"I wasn't sure of your favorite flower, so I just snuck into Aunt Millie’s garden and picked a few of each,” he remarked as he thrust the bouquet towards her.  
"Oh, Seb, they’re beautiful. Thank you, let me get these in water,” she opens the door wide, the unspoken offer of entry to the house. 

After putting the flowers in water, she comes back and gives him a hug, “Thank you again, they are so beautiful.”

It is while she has her arms around him that she inhales his scent, the mixture of body wash and cologne; it makes her heart race. As she steps back from their embrace, she finally takes him all in and notices he is wearing faded blue jeans, a gray V-neck fitted t-shirt, his boots, and a faded blue jean jacket. He quickly removed his boots, then followed her into the kitchen. She tried to get him to just sit at the table since dinner was ready; he insisted on helping in some way. She had him get the drinks, another glass of wine for her and he grabbed a beer for himself. She put his flowers in the center of the table.

Dinner was a success; their conversation was easy, and they were able to talk about almost anything. He helped clear the table and wash the dishes. She couldn’t help but notice how easy the night was and how well they worked together, moving effortlessly around one another in the kitchen. They made the decision to have dessert in the living room, figuring it would be more comfortable to sit in there to talk. 

As they settled in on the couch, Mandy decided to ask, "Do you mind, can I ask what happened to you and Nat?” 

"Well, it wasn't just one thing, but I think it all started when she opened her own real estate company. Before that happened, I was working as an architect for a large firm and Nat’s company would hire us to redesign the homes she was selling. I was miserable and wanted out, we talked about it and decided I would run the construction crew. I love working with my hands, it would be great. And it was until her career really took off. We would go to these parties, dinners, award presentations and she would have to introduce me; I think she was embarrassed to tell people what I did,” he took a deep breath and paused for a moment. She began to feel bad for making him talk about it, “This guy came in from London, hired Nat to find him a condo and office space. They were spending hours and days together, and I started to notice the distance between us getting bigger. One night, I was visiting Aunt Millie and Uncle Hank, and came home early and found the two of them in our bed together,” he let out a heavy sigh as he finished his story.

"Oh, Seb, I'm so sorry,” now she actually felt horrible for making him recount the story, “Sounds like she was enjoying the fame and spotlight a little too much, got a really big ego.” 

"I left that night and stayed at a friend’s house, three months later we were divorced, and she was with Jeremy.” 

"I'm speechless, I can't believe she gave up a beautiful relationship for money and fame. I mean, I’ve heard of people doing that, but it still shocks me," Mandy replied.

"I'm here now, doing what I love and having dinner with a funny, sweet, caring and beautiful woman," he replied, unable to hold back the smile from his lips. 

"Thank you," Mandy could tell she was blushing.

"Ok, now it’s your turn,” Sebastian pointed at her with his fork as he went in for a piece of his pie. 

"Well, Tony is a lawyer for an advertising agency, and before we met, he always had a different girl on his arm. We met, hit it off and he gave up his old ways, we were together for six months when he asked me to marry him. I said yes almost immediately! He told me that I would not have to work, he wanted to take care of me and I would never have to worry about anything, ever. I thought it was awesome, but I started to get bored,” like Sebastian, she took a deep breath and had to push on to finish her story. It was not easy to talk about the pain of the past relationship. “I had always wanted to be a vet, but since he wouldn’t let me work, I needed to find something to do. I began volunteering at the ad agency, working events and activities they would put on. It wasn’t much, but it got me out of the house. One day he hired a new intern, and she began going to all the work functions with him, leaving me at home. He said it was all for work and to get her name out there. I suspected there was more to it, but never knew for sure. Then one day, I came home, and Tony left me a note, he wanted my engagement ring back and for me to move out. So, I moved back with mom and dad and Mia moved in with Tony.”

"We were both dealt shitty relationships, but I guess if that didn't happen we wouldn't be here," he offered up a half smile. 

"I suppose that is what they mean when they talk about the ‘light at the end of the tunnel?’” Mandy gave him a smirk. 

“Yeah, I think so. Hey, I have to go back to New York in a few weeks, would you like to join me?” 

"Wow, I haven't been to New York in years. I’d love to go, I mean if it isn’t a bother.” 

"If it were a bother, I wouldn’t have asked you,” he locked eyes with her, his gaze piercing and Mandy could feel the electricity pulsing through her body. 

They continue to talk about their lives and what they want to do in the near future. During this conversation, they both realize that at the top of their lists, respectively, is having a family, living in the country, and taking occasional trips to the city. 

Sebastian stood, walked over to the radio on Mandy’s bookshelf and turned it on. He then walked back to the couch, extended his hand to her and said, "Dance with me?" 

"Here? Now?" She was confused, how was he going to dance with her in the living room.

He gently moved the coffee table out of the way, providing them some space, "Yes here and now," he laughed softly.

"I really don't know how to dance," she responded while taking his hand and standing up.

"I'll teach you, I grew up taking lessons," he assured her. 

She stood in front of him, he told her to place her hand on his right shoulder, and place her right hand in his hand, then she felt his right hand on her waist and pulled her in close. "We'll take it slow, and remember to look into my eyes, and feel the music," he whispered softly in her ear.

"Doesn't sound too hard," she tried to maintain her composure and not laugh too hard.

"Ready?"

"Uh, yeah, ready." 

"Alright, I'm going to step forward with my left foot, and you step back with your right foot," he instructed. 

As they began to dance, it was evident that it was not going to go so well. It was a rough start, Mandy kept tripping over her feet. Sebastian had an idea, one that might help, “Stand on my feet.” 

"What? Are you serious?" 

“Absolutely,” he was emphatic.

She did exactly that, and he began to dance with her and spin her around the room. Suddenly Mandy felt like a little girl when her father would dance with her this way, except this was the man she was starting to fall in love with. All she could do was stare into his beautiful, intoxicating eyes and smile. He was smiling right back at her, then before she knew it, he had dipped her, with their faces only inches apart, she could feel his breath on her, then he ghosted his lips across her's, all the while staring into each other's eyes. When they stood back up, he spoke, “"I had an amazing time tonight, but I think I should go."

"So soon?" She was trying to calm her breathing and not sound so disappointed.

"Well, it is almost 1 am and I do have to be back here at 8,” he gently reminded her.

"Oh, wow! I didn’t realize it was so late, the night went by so fast. I had an enjoyable evening.”

"Me, too,” he took her hand as he walked to the front door.

She leaned against the wall while he put his boots back on, then they stepped out onto the porch. She stopped just outside the door, watching him walk off the porch and toward his truck. He had just stepped off the steps and taken two long strides when he quickly turned around and come back to her. He wrapped one arm around her and pulled her to him, Mandy placed her hands on his chest, and Sebastian’s other hand went to the back of her head, his fingers entwining in her hair. She was gazing into his eyes, feeling his heart racing, about the same speed as her own, his eyes were almost black with desire. He ran his tongue across his lips, then crushed them onto hers, she felt his tongue run across her bottom lip. She parted them slightly, feeling his tongue slip in; she let out a soft moan. The kiss wasn’t rushed, and there was no fight for dominance, it felt like they had been kissing forever. As he pulled away, he did not release his hold on her.

"I’m not sure why I wait so long to kiss you," he commented, not really looking for her to answer, but he felt like he had to say it, “But damn, it was worth the wait."

"It certainly was," she responded in a ragged breath, it was all she could get out. 

"Until morning beautiful," Sebastian smiled, then turned and headed to the truck.

Leaning back onto the doorframe, Mandy brought her fingers up to rest on her swollen red lips as she watched Sebastian walk away.

 

Copyright © 2016 EK823. All rights reserved. Intellectual property of EK823.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again I'd like to thank Karen and Carrington on being my Bata's. And here's another chapter for Nancy and Ash.

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to my two Bata's Karen and Carrington. Thank you for all of your suggestions and support on this story, love you both. This is my first multi chapter story I've ever wrote or posted. I hope everyone will enjoy the story.


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